By Jewel Della Valle

The volleyball team had a lot to prove this season, but it’s safe to say that so far, they’ve played well.

The Huskies were picked to finish sixth in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), tied with William ‘ Mary in the preseason coaches’ poll, but have started to grab the attention of those who thought the young team couldn’t go far in the CAA.

Take a look at this year’s roster: one senior (captain Kira Batura), three juniors, three sophomores and eight freshmen, who comprise more than half the team. Now take a look at the conference standings: the Huskies sit in a four-way tie for third with defending CAA-champ Hofstra, James Madison and George Mason, and have a legitimate shot at hosting the CAA Championship this year.

Even though head coach Ken Nichols’ peers may not have had faith in the young squad, he said the preseason rating has been more of a motivator for the Huskies than a downer.

“It’s a thorn in our side [but] I think it’s helped us as we’ve gone here to kind of remind the team that the respect isn’t there,” Nichols said. “It’s just one more thing to play for.”

The all-important test will come tomorrow night against second-place William ‘ Mary (11-11, 6-3 CAA). Northeastern (13-12, 5-3 CAA) already conquered first-place Delaware (22-4, 7-2 CAA) in five hard-fought games Oct. 14, but Friday’s match could be the deciding factor in whether the Huskies will host the conference championship in November.

“That [match] is going to make or break, I think,” Nichols said. “If we were to drop to 5-4, we’d really have to rely on a lot of help to finish first.